“Customizing portion sizes should be as easy as it is for a morning coffee or a lunchtime salad, said Dana Gunders, the president of ReFED, the nation’s leading organization fighting food waste and one of the groups working on the Georgetown portion study.”
— “Restaurant Portions Are About to Get Smaller. Are Americans Ready?” Kim Severson, The New York Times
Portion Balance and Sustainability
In addition, food waste at restaurants in the United States is alarming, using 2% of annual energy, 70% of potable water, and 37% of land. Research shows that 31% to 40% of restaurant food goes unconsumed due to consumer plate waste. Smaller portions can help alleviate this issue and save restaurants money.
Addressing food waste has emerged as a key focus of the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The EPA, USDA, and FDA are also actively leading initiatives to minimize food waste and loss.
While there are many innovative and essential sustainability strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of the global food system, one simple and accessible strategy is portion management. By filling our plates with the correct volume, proportion, and quality of ingredients, we can reduce their environmental impact.
57% of Americans are concerned about food waste
Caloric production from our food system contributes over 25% of greenhouse gas emissions and utilizes a significant portion of land and freshwater resources. Despite producing surplus food annually, a substantial amount is wasted, and food insecurity remains a pressing issue worldwide. This highlights the importance of reducing portion sizes to combat food waste and address obesity.
According to the Food Loss and Waste Protocol based in Washington, D.C., it is estimated that global food loss and waste incur a cost of $940 billion annually. Additionally:
the U.S. discards approximately 30-40% of its food supply, as consumers contribute to food waste by purchasing or cooking more than necessary, leading to the disposal of excess food (USDA);
61% of food waste occurs during the consumption phase, rather than in production, storage, processing, or distribution.